


Said You Wanted Me Dead

by bossceo



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Angst, Enemies to Lovers, Fantasy, M/M, Magic, Mermaid Jung Wooyoung, Prince Choi San, Smut I guess...., Violence, Wizard Choi San, alternative universe, how does one even tag
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-10
Updated: 2020-08-12
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:41:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,489
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25820782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bossceo/pseuds/bossceo
Summary: San only had two goals: to honor Neenla and to get rid of Gaderel someday. If he couldn't be king, he would have power flowing through his hands in one way or another, even if it cost his own peace and balance with the Goddess and God. However, his path of sins was crossed by a bad plan and a shrewd-smiling merman, who seemed to have come into the world to enrage him. San wanted him dead.
Relationships: Choi San & Jung Wooyoung, Choi San/Jung Wooyoung
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	1. I want you dead

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Said You Wanted Me Dead](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/664585) by Me (woosanx). 



> I originally published that on spiritfanfition in Portuguese, but I really enjoy this story, so... here I am. English is NOT my first language, so... please be kind? I will eventually fix any mistakes that you guys are probably going to find.
> 
> Playlist:  
> https://open.spotify.com/playlist/1T5ABx48FToQua5jnEEAza?si=GGwGtMHfSSGJh8gc_KHwoA  
> Pinterest:  
> https://br.pinterest.com/woosanx/said-you-wanted-me-dead/  
> Moodboards: https://twitter.com/woosanx/status/1258118021169713152

Persistence was his enemy. San knew that to sit on the throne, the only possible way out was the sword, and as much as his path had become dark behind the curtains, he would never have the courage to smear his blade with blood from his blood. The prince, poor man, so full of treasures, felt so lonely. A sudden setback couldn't have been anything other than to feed his thirst for power, after all, it was easier to be in company and to feel belonging when the big golden crown was in your head.

Even occupied learning the royal chores, the extremely proud Choi had time to nurse his ego. See, San was the middle son, the second in the family lineage. Always smiling, seen as the kind son of the king that persuaded his so severe father, seeking for the well being of his people. It was difficult to show the real ambition that poisoned his heart every day. What left him proud was not knowing that royal blood was flowing through his veins; neither believing that he was well regarded among his people, his honor even more intact than his brothers, the first in the line of succession.

To make it clear, the only factor that made adrenaline run through the athletic body of the middle son of Neenla’s royal family was also what caused his steps to leave a trail of blood and darkness. San grew up at the same time as Jimin, one of the servants in the castle. Jimin’s mother was a witch and had named her daughter Miso, which meant 'to smile'. However, the king despised the name usually associated with witchcraft and asked to change her name.

Even with the king trying to hide witchcraft from his children, San knew it very well. The demons on his shoulders were his fault, not Jimin’s mother. San was the only one guilty for having to cause more trouble than any could imagine, yet, it was his fuel to restore his powers. Incapable of being the next king because of Hongjoong, the middle Choi decided to take a risk on old books and teachings he grew up listening to.

Yes, he always was aware that his mission was not to cause damage to anyone, but he believed for a long time that he was doing the right thing. The force inside him was much bigger than any magic when his blade cut through the beast’s necks that terrorized Neenla! The feeling was intoxicating, almost like drinking a good dose of alcohol at once, like being underwater for so long and finally being able to breathe.

San was addicted to power. The oxygen in his lungs on the first breath after immersing was what allowed him to continue his miserable life. As in a vicious cycle, he got lost along the way. It was impossible to stay sane that way, but it was the only way he knew, feeling unable to escape his demons. And speaking of demons, the prince was ready to escape once again; put on his leather clothes and sheath his sword to get rid of Gaderel’s ministries for at least a few more days.

The prince left his quarters, and, taking advantage of the darkness of the night covering that side of the palace, he slipped through the hole in the empty room of one of the towers, facing the unguarded parapet at the back. Nobody would dare to go there, they wouldn't even be able to. The ancestors decided to build the castle on the edge of a cliff, but due to the privileged view of the river that ran below also being dangerous, the room in question was locked. That was until San was old enough to learn how to break down a lock, with or without magic.

There was a small hole in the room and a widow equally locked. It was easier to escape from the old stones than to spend his time breaking another lock. After that, the prince only had to hold on to the windowsill and go down the walls of the castle, his hands clasped between the vines and the branches of the morning glory that grew over the years.

The hardest part was to lose the guards and jump over the sidewall. San always made sure to carry on with his banishments and protective spells before leaving the comfort of his sheets. Well, it was acceptable to do them along the way too. In contact with the grass, the wind; the prince felt freer, connected with nature as a good nature wizard. The walk to the city wasn’t long if he walked on the right path, but as a fugitive, it took good minutes to reach the center of Neenla.

The kingdom had an area covered with nobles, who lived close to the castle or even inside of it. As the mountain approached the level of the river, more bars and inns appeared in the prince’s eyes. Covered by such different garments, without the crown, and with his whitish hair - because of Gaderel, it happened whenever he used magic - he would be unrecognizable. However, no magic could cover the mark of his shins that scared his face.

That is exactly why he covered his face with a hood. Even though he seemed frightening and suspicious, it was the only way San could walk between his people and not being recognized. He decided to wander until he found a suitable victim. Usually, he received instructions from Gaderel, whether they were names, locations, or even what kind of creature he was dealing with. San felt, with no exception, repelled and disgusted by all of them. The demon’s bittersweet words buzzed in his ears and San drank from that same source whenever he needed to. It was as if he knew.

The evil angel never showed his face. The prince agreed that he would never turn face to face with him, but he was almost sure that one day his curiosity would eventually kill him.

He entered a bar. And it was almost an instinctive as if the air was thicker and sucked into the establishment. In the corner, with bare feet and folded pants, there was a very handsome man. Black hair falling on his face, dark eyes, and a radiant smile that was sweetly decorated with a spot on the cheek. San held his blade, Lal’pen, his most faithful companion.

“One beer, please” He left a few coins on the counter, enough for the glass he was paying and at least six more.

The barman gave him a suspicious look but managed to ignore it and poured the dark beer on a big cup. San took a healthy sip and tried to take a better look at the place. It was, after all, very clean and well preserved. The prince was used to visit worse locations than that, so he was not afraid when he took another sip of the hot drink. Unlike expensive palace wines, the drink made him feel more comfortable.

“Youngie!” A beautiful woman, but with worn teeth, shouted from one of the tables. San's attention turned to the noise, but he paid attention to the mysterious figure he had previously observed. 

Immediately the handsome man looked at her. San had this weird feeling that the so-called ‘Youngie’, as he was called, knew he was being watched. Even though he wasn’t able to see people’s aura like Jimin’s mother and some magical creatures he dealt with, he was sensitive enough to recognize a likely ‘enemy’. His deal with Gaderel should be honored. He would deliver the souls of the monsters who terrorized Neenla and, in return, he would receive power and protection.

It was absurd, stupid, complete stupidity from a man who studied so much, but he buried both feet deep in that situation and didn’t see how to get rid of it anytime soon, at least not while he still envied his older brother birthright. The man walked over to where she was sitting, visibly drunk, and got closer so that the woman in red could whisper next to his ear.

Youngie smile and San could analyze the situation. It was a very pretty man, stunning, with not so short hair. He had a lot of charm on the way he moved like he was trying to seduce someone all the time. It wasn’t an ogre or an orc, those were incapable of mutating to a human form, eternally cursed with their grotesque bodies. On the other hand, it was also not a dragon. Dragons, despite their characteristically black hair, needed Thadla's stone and Thadtul's clothes to wander in human form.

San drank the rest of his beer while watching their conversation. By the man’s bare feet, well-groomed appearance, and charm, he should be dealing with a mermaid. There were two types of mermaids: Those who lived constantly in lagoons or the ocean, never bothering to live in the human world; and those who won over potential sexual partners to rip their hearts out and devour them inside the bodies of water in which they lived in.  _ San knew _ very well that this was the second case.

‘Youngie’ got up after a good half hour of conversations with that woman in red. She adjusted the skirt of her dress and also stood upright after. The prince immediately went on alert. He turned to the bartender discreetly, trying not to make his intentions obvious.

“Is there a hotel nearby?”

“Right next door” The old man replied, squeezing his eyes even more than when San gave him the shiny coins. “You’re not from here, are you boy?” He asked.

“Thank you for your time. And the beer.” San answered simply, in a hurry. He stood up from the barstool and scanned the room.

The couple was walking out the back door. San knew that he was being reckless, almost as if he was doing a lazy job. It was no time to go back: he had a mermaid in his hands and he couldn't let the opportunity pass. If Gaderel discovered that he had failed, he would have to endure the demon's complaints and punishments for a long time, and Gaderel managed to irritate him even more than his younger sister.

He crossed the room full of drunk people and left by the same door, following the duo at a considerable distance. San had no plans. He had to think about something fast, but the couple was already going upstairs on the side of the building towards one of the rooms. Youngie should be a frequent visitor, San concluded by how he led the way. He probably took the lives of so many innocent citizens that he had an established place to poison them and make a clean death. Repulsive.

He began to whisper pledges of protection, after all, he wouldn’t like to be enchanted by the merman’s magical voice. He hurried up the stairs, acting on instinct. As soon as Youngie turned the key, San pushed the woman aside and elbowed the other man into the room, propelling himself in the same direction. The black-haired guy tripped, but he showed an excellent posture and stability for someone who should live with a tail and not feet and legs. San pulled out the key that outside, in the lock of the door, so he could lock it inside. Hopefully, he wasn’t seen, but the adrenaline was already flowing in his body, fighting for space in his veins, like a poison that went up to his eyes and could easily make them roll in their sockets.

The prince wasn’t fast enough. After locking the door, he planned to point the sword at the mermaid and confront him before thinking of a more effective way to kill him that didn't involve sticking the blade down his throat. That would make a huge mess. Youngie seemed to have a different plan, he threw himself against San’s body, intending to knock him down succeeding after a little imbalance.

“Who are you?” The merman barked, looking terrified as he pressed his arm against the prince’s neck in an improvised guillotine.

“I’m the one who should be asking questions, mermaid.” San spat out his words and weakened the man above him, who was surprised to have been discovered.

Taking advantage of Youngie's distraction, San moved his knee up and managed to hit him in the stomach. The mermaid yelped at the sudden pain, and with that, the prince was able to turn him to the side. He planned to try to choke Youngie from behind, however, he was more agile than San expected. San, who had already killed much larger monsters, was struggling with a being who had no special ability to affect him. Youngie should be weak on land, just like any other mermaid.

San was afraid of being wrong, but ... The clues were very evident!

Youngie stood from the floor and San did the same, pulling his sword from the palace's exclusive material sheath. The beast in front of him looked at the movement with intent eyes and smiled sideways, seeming not even a little intimidated with the blade pointed towards his face. San swallowed. His vows seemed to have been in vain, excited by the charming way the other man moved. Youngie kept the smirk as he walked around the room. The prince guessed that he wanted to turn the key in the lock to escape, but soon concluded that Youngie knew it would be a stupid move: If he turned his back, he would be killed by Lal’pen.

“So, how did you found out? I’m curious.” The barefoot boy leaned against a dresser that was next to the door, looking even more carefree. “Have you been watching me, stranger?”

“Don’t trick me. Your spell don’t work on me, creature.”

Youngie rolled his eyes and closed his fist, tapping his hand on the piece of furniture he was leaning on repeatedly, in a pattern unknown to San. The prince was surprised by the beast's action and drew his sword further forward, fearing that it was somehow a trick or distraction. He couldn't kill him there. There was no way to get away so fast since the woman outside was probably already making a scandal looking for help.

“You are very brave. But you're not going to kill me.”

“I told you, your spells don't work for me.”

“I never said it would be because of my charm. In fact” He paused, increasing his smirk. “Thank you for recognizing it.” Youngie narrowed his eyes, taking a better look at San.

Hell.

San felt like he was in serious trouble now. He planned nothing and acted thoughtlessly. What if he just kills the mermaid and ran right after? If he found a crowd outside demanding satisfaction, he might be able to charm them with energy after the death of the beast; it would be better than leaving him alive after being inspected so closely.

“I know you.” The man’s face lit up, looking amused. San felt a drop of sweat run down one of his temples and swallowed. He gripped the Lal'pen cable more firmly, worried. I had no choice. “You don’t recognize me, prince?”

“Stop!” San said, louder than what he planned to. Outside there was a loud knock on the door. “You will pretend to be with me, otherwise your girlfriend or anyone outside will die. Understood?”

“Oh, you think you’ll be able to make it? Sannie…” Youngie laughed again, making San shiver. What had he gotten himself into? “You don’t know anything, right prince? I thought that by now you would know who I am.” He seemed almost hurt. “ You know, when I saw you earlier at the bar, I was sure I had seen you somewhere before. But ah ... The scar. How could I not recognize you?”

Youngie jumped off the furniture and stood right in front of the sword. He winked with one eye and touched the tip of the blade to his neck, almost daring.

“Go on! I bet you can’t do it, because your plan failed, didn’t it?”

Another knock outside, followed by a shout.

“Wooyoung!” It was a female voice. San didn't know if she was the woman from earlier, but she sounded both furious and worried. “Wooyoung!” She shouted one more time. San looked away from the door to the mermaid's face, then it was as if his blood had risen completely to his head. 

He knew that name.

As soon as the realization hit him, Wooyoung threw his head back as if he wanted to look at him from above, superior, causing San's fury to grow even more. The door opened with a crash. A woman with equally black hair appeared with the noise, it was not the same person that Wooyoung would be taking to bed and, consequently, to death.

“What the hell is going on here?” She barked with sawn teeth. “I suggest you leave. Now” The woman said to San.

“The little wizard thinks he is going to kill me, Hyunjung. Funny, uh?” Wooyoung said keeping the superiority smile. San wanted to yank it out with his bare hands.

“Wizard?” The woman scanned him from top to bottom and San wondered why the mermaid didn't reveal his real identity. “So you must have read a lot about mermaids, right? What's your goal, to kill one and then stick your hand under your pants? Be delirious for having absorbed its power?” She laughed. "You must have read about how we can get your fucking blood out of your body in the blink of an eye, right?"

“Uh-oh, I think you’re in trouble.” The dark haired man hummed.

San grunted in response.

She was right. Although many mermaids did not have any kind of supernatural gifts, some were blessed with the power of Yigyima, the goddess of the waters. San couldn't take any chances. Hell! If he killed Wooyoung he would be killed by the invading mermaid. Hyunjung, as Wooyoung had called her, was equally beautiful and looked powerful, confident. He lowered his sword, defeated and visibly furious. He never felt so weak in his whole life.

“Not today, mermaid.” San spoke, again spitting words. “But I want you dead. And I will kill you myself.”

San came out of the small hotel room like a hurricane, the image of the smirk plastered in his mind. To the hell Gaderel and his punishments, he was furious enough to even think about the damn demon chasing him. Frustrated and tired, the prince felt his energy being drained to make room for the negative feelings that were consuming him. That was bad. As he left the building, he decided not to go back to the castle anytime soon, it would be better to meditate somewhere in the forest.

As much as he was stuck in an agreement with Gaderel, he still worshiped the Goddess and the God and hoped that both would give him the strength to get out of that trap. Above all, his biggest concern was  _ how did that merman recognize him? _ He knew his name and that he was a prince, in the end demanding to be recognized too. If he was a nobleman from the castle, San would be extremely in trouble.

Stupid mermaid.

  
  
  
  
  



	2. The puppet and the puppeteer

"Who is he?"  
"Uh… Jung Wooyoung. Son of a soldier who served with our grandfather."  
"He's so young" San commented, hands behind his back.  
"His father served as a young man, he about two years older than our father."  
"How do you know that?"  
"Because I speak with the king, San."  
"Tsc." The prince clicked his tongue and continued to watch as the well-dressed man got off his horse.  
He and his younger sister, Seoyeon, were committed to taking a walk around the palace that day. Life in the palace was boring from time to time. Waking up, eating, studying, and going back to sleep. San was not at all excited to start a conversation with his father in the same way as Hongjoong and Seoyeon. The heir and the youngest. It was a fact that Hongjoong would one day occupy the throne and that Seoyeon would eventually marry a prince from an allied kingdom, thus extending the family's legacy. But he?  
Poor guy. Fated to live forever under the shadow of father and brother.  
Wooyoung watched them from afar and smiled, noticing the looks on him. He ran a hand through his hair, the petulant movement that had happened in a very similar way just a few nights ago in that tight little bar. The nobleman lifted his nose and started walking towards the pair. Seoyeon seemed distracted and didn't care much about the soldier's son. San watched for a moment. They were sitting on one of the garden benches while he came from an area more reserved for the horse stables of the castle's inhabitants.  
The merman wore a burgundy vest over a white shirt with wide sleeves, giving contrast to the figure of the man's handsome body. He walked with confidence in the black leather boots used for riding, sporting a watch in one pocket. San, in particular, was not a man of watches or technologies, but he admired anyone who knew how to use them. Wooyoung seemed to be the case, with all the pomp and confidence that made his teeth grind, such audacity.  
"Good morning, your highness." The merman bowed to Seoyeon. The princess smiled as soon as she noticed his presence. "I suppose you are Prince San. It's a pleasure, your highness." Wooyoung bowed again.  
"Likewise. Seoyeon was telling me about you."  
"Really? Can I know why my presence matters to someone so important?"  
"I never saw you. Not around here." Wooyoung smiled at the prince's play on words. "I'm very interested in hearing your stories if you're free."  
"It would be an honor, but I don't want to steal Seoyeon's company."  
"Don't worry. I have to practice the piano anyway, otherwise, I'm going to get more complaints about being the lazy princess! Isn’t that absurd?"  
"Why… A princess needs to be talented. Whether you want it or not."  
"It is stupid."  
"It is. But we don't make the rules, do we? There are things we can't control. Am I not right, Your Highness?" He questioned San, who chuckled, not wanting to get involved in that matter.  
All he could think about was how he was being trampled by fate. He had Wooyoung so close, but how to get rid of the damn merman without being suspicious of his sudden curiosity about the boy's life? In a certain way, Seoyeon would be his only possible witness, but San would not like to open more spaces for questioning, after all, he had already been sloppy enough in his hunt a few days ago. Two people saw his face, both equally dangerous. San sighed and decided to end the matter to question the man once and for all.  
"Can we continue the matter on a walk, then? I insist. I have no other business during the day anyway."  
"Of course, it will be an honor."  
Seoyeon said goodbye to both of them with a nod and a brief bow. The young woman went into the palace again, and when San was sure that no one could hear him, he said:  
"Come with me."  
Without looking back even for a moment, the prince walked until they left the palace properties. They crossed the bridge and after a few minutes, they were inside the forest on a path very similar to what San did on his nightly escapades. The wizard knew the region very well and guided them to a clearing in a very arboreal region, it was there that he used to meditate, where he knew that Gaderel could not find him. The clearing was surrounded by Cerberas Odollam that prevented the demon from disturbing him.  
He couldn't go out carrying flowers inside the castle in large quantities, but he always had one or the other hidden in his mattresses. When the flower died, Gaderel would show up. The last one had been harvested on the day he meditated after his immense failure to hunt the merman, it should be dead by now, and if he was lucky to take a new one, the demon who disturbed him would not appear that night.  
San leaned against one of the trees and crossed his arms. Wooyoung stopped right in front of him, seeming not to be bothered by his presence, nor was he intimidated. The prince hated him. With those arrogant big eyes and the mouth that was almost always showing a smile that almost seemed sewn. So full of himself and confident, San would like to run his sword across his throat immediately. However, to fight the enemy, find out about him.  
"You are too brave, or stupid to come and talk to me."  
"Oh really?" Wooyoung laughed. The melody sounded strange to San's ears, and the prince recalled that he had not performed any protective spells that day. The merman should be trying to seduce him. "I think you should get used to my existence. Do you know that if you touch a hair of mine, Hyunjung ends your existence in two seconds?"  
San laughed, impressed by the creature's petulance.  
"Don't talk to me like that, beast."  
"Beast?"  
"You take innocent lives into the water and devour them. Should I call you by some other more appropriate name?"  
"Innocent in whose eyes? In the eyes of the wizard who hunts freaks in the dead of night and kills them without remorse?" Wooyoung approached San's face. "I can see how terrified you are, prince. Oh, so afraid to fall for a mermaid's charm and end up with your heart devoured." The mermaid laughed, the wizard felt the breath of laughter on his face, that’s how close they were.  
"Don't change the subject. The killer here is you, not me."  
"I kill whoever suits me." The merman brought one hand up to San's chest. "I'm not like you, baby."  
"Go to hell."  
"I'm sure if I go, I'll find you there."  
"Don't try my patience, mermaid!" San snarled the words as he pushed Wooyoung back.  
"Tell me San, how many parents have you killed? How many children have you left alone in the world to gain a little power? We are quite different, you and me."  
"Can I know how?"  
Wooyoung took a few more steps back, standing in the middle of the clearing. The sun touched his face and the merman closed his eyes, feeling the heat on his skin. San could take the chance, say it was an ambush, a thief. Who tried to save the poor man's life! However, what would it be worth? With the threat of another mermaid around his neck, he didn't have much room to act, especially since his curiosity as a middle prince son who rarely left the castle roared stronger inside him.  
"Well, I kill because I need to. If I don't eat, I die." Wooyoung explained it as simple as a bread recipe. "I take Neenla's trash with me. Murderers, rapists, the worst kind of people."  
"That woman at the bar didn't look like Neenla's trash."  
"Really? I believe that drowning your newborn is a real custom, then."

San blinked a few times and felt momentarily dizzy.

"Don't worry, San. I won't tell you your little secret." Wooyoung approached again. "But if you hurt me or one of mine, you fall, too. Want to know how a mermaid kills their victims, wizard?"  
"Enough of your lies."  
"Are you afraid to find out?"  
"I don't fear anyone who lacks the truth."  
"Should." The merman shrugged with that ambitious little smile. "Perhaps because you are lying to yourself. You think you are ridding your kingdom of looters and horrible monsters, when in fact you have been taking souls to some demon." Wooyoung laughed dismissively. "Pathetic."  
"You don't know the reasons why I do what I do."  
"And I don't care." The merman lowered his hand until he reached San's sword. The prince felt paralyzed as if he knew that the other man would not harm him. It was a control game, but the prince knew how to play very well. "As long as you stay away from me and stop killing Neenla's mermaids. We do a better job than you do, so go back to your prince duties and leave the problem in our hands."  
"Your ignorance moves me. I would never leave the blood of my people in the hands of evil creatures like you."  
"Why are you so scared, hm? It makes me curious."  
"Stay away from me. I don't want to lose my head and end up taking yours off."  
"I see. Hyunjung." Wooyoung hummed, raising his mischievous hand on San's belly and chest until it reached the back of his neck. "Let's make a deal, huh?" He whispered a second time. This time, San felt a chill in his body that made him want to throw up. "We don't want any more deaths caused by your blade among ours. Play with the lives of others in your little game with the devil, and we will not get in your way."  
"What you mean?"  
"Your scar is very characteristic, prince. Do you think no one would be surprised if they saw you walking around Neenla's dirty bars and hotels? Ah, with the right witness ... What would the king think if he knew his son was a wizard? "  
"You wouldn't dare say a word, you wicked creature!" San said between teeth. Wooyoung smiled and stepped back one last time.  
"We have an agreement, then!" He commented cheerfully.  
"I didn't agree with a single word that came out of your mouth."  
"You want to play, I get it. Let's play, then, wizard. Let me go and I'll tell everyone what I know. Take my life and end up dead, without any honor, and equally embarrassing your family for falling into a mermaid's charms. Which do you prefer?"  
San snarled again. He was in such a difficult situation that he was almost waiting for Gaderel to come and help him. Feeling helpless and partially troubled by the merman's words, the prince needed a long breath. He had been sloppy and would certainly be punished for stepping into such dangerous territory. San normally trusted Gaderel's directions and killed those who were hindering the good performance of a danger-free Neenla. However, that night, his carelessness left him in bad shape.  
Seeing himself as having no alternative, he decided to accept the merman's agreement.  
An idea then came to him.  
As much as Wooyoung was manipulating him with his fingers, San could take advantage of the situation. Gaderel was not always available and precisely because he was without direction he decided to hunt alone. It had been several days since he had felt energized and because of his stupid agreement just contacting the Goddess and God was not enough. San was weak, susceptible to manipulation, and physically disabled compared to his days of greatest glory.  
He could agree with Wooyoung's proposal to extract information from time to time. If Gaderel would not help him, the temporary alliance would.  
"I have a condition."  
"Um, are we negotiating now?"  
"Listen well, I won't repeat myself. I agree with your terms, if, and only if, you agree to tell me everything you know about what I want to question you."  
"I don't see why not." The merman bit his lip, seeming not to take the proposal seriously. However, he held out his hand to the prince.  
San took a deep breath. His choices were stupid in the past, he needed to outsmart the damn merman so he could regain his honor, even though no one knew of his failure. It was personal, it massaged his ego. The prince reached out and shook his hand while lifting his left and whispering a spell to seal his contract. Wooyoung didn't look surprised.  
San was afraid. He admitted to himself, but never out loud. He feared precisely because the merman knew so much, for not knowing what he could do with his life. He was always one step ahead, so confident. He was physically able to compete with you in a physical fight and he also had a brain. The prince did not know if this was all true, about the mermaids cleaning up Neenla's crime, but that would be a topic for another time. Even though he wanted to convince himself that he was coming out on top in that absurd negotiation, he was fully aware that he was a puppet in the hands of the noble, and that with a tug of string he would be ruined.

"It was a pleasure to talk to you, prince."


End file.
